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Dundalk can expect a cash windfall from their European exploits. Ciaran Culligan/INPHO
History makers

Legia Warsaw stand in the way of Dundalk reaching the Champions League group stages

Stephen Kenny’s side are on the cusp of making Irish football history.

Updated at 14:00

LEAGUE OF IRELAND champions Dundalk will face Legia Warsaw in the Champions League play-off round.

Victory over the Polish champions will ensure Dundalk will become the first League of Ireland side to compete in the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition.

Dundalk are set to earn €2 million if they manage to beat Legia, and an additional €12 million for reaching the group stages.

The Lilywhites have become only the second Irish team to reach the final qualifying round of the Champions League, but will be hoping to go one better than Shelbourne, who lost to Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna in 2004.

Regardless of the result, the Louth club are guaranteed at least another six European matches before Christmas, with defeat seeing Dundalk drop into the Europa League group stages.

Stephen Kenny’s side, who stunned Champions League regulars BATE Borisov on Tuesday night in the previous round, will play their home tie at the Aviva Stadium.

The back-to-back League of Ireland winners will play their first leg tie on Wednesday 17 August (live on RTÉ2), with the return leg taking place in Poland six days later on Tuesday 23 August (live on TV3).

Champions League play-off draw

Champions route

  • Ludogorets v Viktoria Plzeň
  • Celtic v Hapoel Beer-Sheva
  • F.C. Copenhagen v APOEL
  • Dundalk v Legia Warsaw
  • Dinamo Zagreb v Salzburg

League route

  • Steaua Bucharest v Man City
  • Porto v Roma
  • Ajax v Rostov
  • Young Boys v Borussia Mönchengladbach
  • Villarreal v Monaco

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